Portable molecular spectrometers are occasionally used to identify the characteristics of gas, liquid, and solid samples. In these spectrometers—which are exemplified by the spectrometers in U.S. Pat. No. 7,084,972 to Treado, U.S. Pat. No. 6,985,216 to Treado et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,900,734 to Duan, U.S. Pat. No. 5,714,758 to Neu, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,519,219 to Alexay—light is directed at a sample, and the light reflected from, scattered by, and/or transmitted through the sample is then picked up by a photosensitive detector to be analyzed for changes in wavelength. These changes can then provide information regarding the composition of the sample, its chemical bonds, and other features. Portable spectrometers would seem to provide an extremely useful tool for a variety of applications, such as for law enforcement (e.g., to identify a suspected narcotic substance), homeland security (e.g., to identify a suspected explosive), hazardous materials response (e.g., to identify matter suspected of being toxic or explosive), manufacturing/process testing (e.g., to verify content of, and/or contaminants in, foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals, or other goods), and similar applications. However, without extensive training, it is often difficult to interpret the readings returned by the spectrometers—for example, to determine the composition of a sample being tested. Further, even if one can correctly interpret the spectrometer readings, further expertise is needed to determine how to respond to these readings. To illustrate, even if the user knows that some substances X, Y, and Z are present in a sample, if the user is unfamiliar with one or more of these substances, the user may not know what to make of the readings: the user may need information on toxicity, volatility, handling precautions, environmental ramifications, and common uses and occurrences (e.g., substance X is an byproduct arising from certain industrial processes, substances Y and Z indicate certain conditions when encountered together, selected ones of substances X, Y, and Z are commonly used to mask the presence of prohibited substances, and so forth). As a result, substantial delays can be encountered as the user attempts to seek further information and guidance, and/or as the sample is forwarded to a laboratory for more extensive testing and expert analysis. These delays can lead to substantial costs and risks in both commercial and governmental settings.